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We are saddened by the the upward adjustment of fuel prices because of the unbearable hardships that this move will add to the many excruciating challenges our people are already grappling with.
The hiking of fuel prices will further worsen the already dehumanizing poverty levels most of our people are wallowing in as the prices of essential goods and services such as food, transport, accommodation as well as energy will automatically go up. The price of fuel has been adjusted upward twice in the last three months and with the continued depreciation of the Kwacha the situation is likely to worsen.
The current economic malaise is not an act of nature but a result of bad and inept leadership on the part of the Patriotic Front Government. And for as long as the PF continue to be in power we as a people have to, in the words of the Finance Minister, Alexander Chikwanda “brace ourselves for harder times.”
The adverse effects of a weak Kwacha, a runway budget deficit, rampant fiscal indiscipline that has resulted in a record K13.4 billion, unplanned and unbudgeted for expenditure, a huge trade deficit, continued debt contraction are now crippling our economy and further making it hard for most of our people to meet the cost of essential needs such as food, shelter, transport, health and education.
What is more worrying is that instead of responding to and addressing the fundamental causes of this economic meltdown, the Hon. Minister of Defence Edgar Chagwa Lungu and his Government are playing “Sojo” and “Kalambe” with people’s lives.
They have continued their reckless expenditure on useless trips, meaningless by-elections and unabashedly waxing themselves in extravagant lifestyles at the taxpayers’ expense despite the dwindling revenue collections. Hon Edgar Chagwa Lungu and his Government are not paying any attention to the huge trade deficit and dwindling revenue collections that are further putting a serious strain on the Kwacha. Mr Lungu and his Lieutenants have failed to find ways in which they can generate enough revenue locally without further strangling the poor majority with more tax burdens, instead in their laziness and lack of care and concern for the next generation Hon Lungu and his colleagues in Government have opted to chain and enslave the nation in debt.
To them, the only way out of this mess that they have created is to borrow and spend, borrow and spend, borrow and spend. They are like headless chickens who know not where they are going. Unfortunately, their myopic leadership is leading the entire nation into an economic abyss.
These problems that we are facing as nation should save as a sharp reminder to all of us as a people that when a man tells you that he has no vision we should believe him. Honourable Edgar Lungu repeatedly told us that he had no vision, no plan for this country. And he was right. He is a blind leader leading us into a ditch. Running a country is no child’s play. It is serious business and requires vision, discipline, honesty and dedication.
Issued by:
Antonio Mwanza,
FDD Spokesperson.
